Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08THEHAGUE253
2008-03-14 13:50:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy The Hague
Cable title:
DUTCH ON U.S.-EU CLIMATE CHANGE COOPERATION
how-toVZCZCXRO5248 PP RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV DE RUEHTC #0253 0741350 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 141350Z MAR 08 FM AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1229 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEHAT/AMCONSUL AMSTERDAM 3925
UNCLAS THE HAGUE 000253
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR OES, EUR/PGI, EUR/WE (TSMITH)
USDOC FOR 4212/USFCS/MAC/EURA/OWE/DCALVERT
USEU FOR TSMITHAM
E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: KGHG SENV ENRG ECON EINV EU NL
SUBJECT: DUTCH ON U.S.-EU CLIMATE CHANGE COOPERATION
REF: STATE 24257
UNCLAS THE HAGUE 000253
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR OES, EUR/PGI, EUR/WE (TSMITH)
USDOC FOR 4212/USFCS/MAC/EURA/OWE/DCALVERT
USEU FOR TSMITHAM
E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: KGHG SENV ENRG ECON EINV EU NL
SUBJECT: DUTCH ON U.S.-EU CLIMATE CHANGE COOPERATION
REF: STATE 24257
1. (U) Econ Section Chief discussed reftel points March 14 with
Gerie Jonk, Senior Policy Officer, Dutch Ministry of Housing,
Spatial Planning, and the Environment. (Dutch officials responsible
for preparing GONL positions ahead of the March 13-14 European
Council meeting were not available prior to this date.)
2. (SBU) Jonk indicated there was strong support among EU member
states for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
language suggesting Annex 1 countries collectively reduce their
emissions by 25-40 percent by 2020, compared to 1990 levels. She
agreed that such a target was ambitious but argued that it was not
unrealistic. However, she said the Council was not expected at this
juncture to call for developed countries to make specific emissions
reduction commitments. Rather, the meeting would focus on reactions
to the European Commission's January 23 emissions reduction
legislative package, including revisions to the EU Emissions Trading
Scheme (ETS) post-2012 and the implementation of new EU targets on
renewable energies through burden sharing among EU member states.
The Dutch delegation, led by Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende,
would also push for the development and inclusion of sustainability
criteria when meeting 10 percent biofuel use targets.
3. (SBU) Jonk stressed that the EU, and particularly the
Netherlands, viewed itself as a leader on climate change polices and
was pleased to see increased U.S. engagement on the issue. She
acknowledged that large developed countries, such as the United
States, were starting from a different baseline than the EU. The
GONL sought "comparable efforts" from these countries, she
explained, and was hopeful that the U.S. would eventually commit to
equally ambitious emission reduction targets. Meanwhile, there was
a growing awareness within the GONL of USG efforts on climate change
and support for USG initiatives, including the Major Economies
Meeting process, she added.
GALLAGHER
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR OES, EUR/PGI, EUR/WE (TSMITH)
USDOC FOR 4212/USFCS/MAC/EURA/OWE/DCALVERT
USEU FOR TSMITHAM
E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: KGHG SENV ENRG ECON EINV EU NL
SUBJECT: DUTCH ON U.S.-EU CLIMATE CHANGE COOPERATION
REF: STATE 24257
1. (U) Econ Section Chief discussed reftel points March 14 with
Gerie Jonk, Senior Policy Officer, Dutch Ministry of Housing,
Spatial Planning, and the Environment. (Dutch officials responsible
for preparing GONL positions ahead of the March 13-14 European
Council meeting were not available prior to this date.)
2. (SBU) Jonk indicated there was strong support among EU member
states for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
language suggesting Annex 1 countries collectively reduce their
emissions by 25-40 percent by 2020, compared to 1990 levels. She
agreed that such a target was ambitious but argued that it was not
unrealistic. However, she said the Council was not expected at this
juncture to call for developed countries to make specific emissions
reduction commitments. Rather, the meeting would focus on reactions
to the European Commission's January 23 emissions reduction
legislative package, including revisions to the EU Emissions Trading
Scheme (ETS) post-2012 and the implementation of new EU targets on
renewable energies through burden sharing among EU member states.
The Dutch delegation, led by Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende,
would also push for the development and inclusion of sustainability
criteria when meeting 10 percent biofuel use targets.
3. (SBU) Jonk stressed that the EU, and particularly the
Netherlands, viewed itself as a leader on climate change polices and
was pleased to see increased U.S. engagement on the issue. She
acknowledged that large developed countries, such as the United
States, were starting from a different baseline than the EU. The
GONL sought "comparable efforts" from these countries, she
explained, and was hopeful that the U.S. would eventually commit to
equally ambitious emission reduction targets. Meanwhile, there was
a growing awareness within the GONL of USG efforts on climate change
and support for USG initiatives, including the Major Economies
Meeting process, she added.
GALLAGHER